bedbugsize

Guides

Bed bug guides

Evidence-based, plain-English guides on identifying bed bugs and acting on what you find. Start with the size tool, then go deeper here.

1 mm Egg 1.5 mm Nymph 3 mm 3rd nymph 4.5 mm 5th nymph 5 mm Adult apple seed
9 min read

How Big Are Bed Bugs? Actual Size at Every Life Stage

Adult bed bugs are 4–7 mm — about an apple seed. See the exact size of eggs, nymphs, and adults, with real comparisons you can hold up to your screen.

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8 min read

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like? A Plain Visual Guide

Bed bugs are flat, oval, reddish-brown insects about 5 mm long. Here's exactly what they look like at every stage — color, shape, legs, antennae — and what they don't.

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Bed bug — flat oval, smooth Carpet beetle — round, mottled
10 min read

Bed Bug vs Lookalikes: Carpet Beetle, Bat Bug, Flea & More

Found a bug and not sure? Here's how to tell a real bed bug from the five insects people confuse it with most — carpet beetles, bat bugs, fleas, spider beetles, and roach nymphs.

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9 min read

Signs of Bed Bugs: How to Know for Sure Before They Spread

Bites are the least reliable sign. Here are the evidence-based signs of a bed bug infestation — fecal spots, blood stains, shed skins, eggs, and odor — and where to look.

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1 Inspect 2 Encase 3 Intercept 4 Treat
12 min read

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs: The Order That Actually Works

A realistic, step-by-step bed bug treatment plan — inspect, contain, encase, intercept, treat, and verify — plus when DIY makes sense and when to call a pro.

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8 min read

Bed Bugs in Hotels: How to Check a Room and Never Bring Them Home

A 5-minute hotel inspection that actually works, plus exactly what to do with your luggage and clothes when you get home so a trip doesn't become an infestation.

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